The large sports hall had turned into a sort of market fair. Every folding table was now fully decorated with business logos, flyers, cards, goods, and services of all sorts on offer.
“This is the best part of the National Assembly,” Darren said beside me.
“I thought it was the free food?” I said, noting the large pretzel half eaten in his hand.
“That too.” He laughed. “Look at all the free samples,” he practically sang. “Look,” he demanded and pointed to the green cap he wore with some tyre company name printed on the front.
I laughed. He was overly pleased with himself.
“Laugh all you want. We need to get you a tote bag and start stocking up. What theme are you thinking?” he asked, walking over to a stall full of pens and notebooks and pointing to a canvas bag. “Stationery?” he asked. “Or,” he began, turning to the stall next to it. “Potted plants?” he asked. “You’re a potted plant girl, I know it,” he decided when I only laughed, and turned to speak tothe vendor before he returned with the canvas bag and a packet of carrot seeds.
“Darren, what am I going to do with carrot seeds?” I asked.
He shrugged.
“Start a garden, get a rabbit. It was free,” he settled.
“Where are you going to keep all this free stuff?” I asked.
“I’m going to use it all,” he defended.
“Sure, sure,” I agreed.
I awoke to Darren knocking on the cabin door. He had excitedly told me that Sara and Cole were currently tied up—not physically, he assured—but that it was the perfect time for us to sneak away to the business market.
I was hesitant, but it was likely the last time I’d ever get to just hang out with Darren. He assured me it would be fine. That all the pack leaders missed everything fun because they were too busy with meetings and business lunches, so Cole and his parents would probably be gone for hours and we’d be back before they noticed.
“She’s going to know I was here,” I said, holding up my canvas bag.
“Better to ask forgiveness than permission,” he said before he dropped his voice lower. “Anyway, what’s she going to do, ground you? You need to have fun while you can,” he insisted.
Darren’s emotions were infectious; I got caught up in them. Before I knew it, I had a mug from a law firm, at least a dozen pens, and a free slice of pizza.
“I’ll be right back. I need another pretzel; they’re addictive,” Darren said, leaving me eating my pizza and looking over a stall of fragrant candles.
“I hope you haven’t been getting fat,” Ashford said.
It felt like a stream of cold water ran down the inside of my spine. I swallowed and turned to find him standing beside me. He picked up a candle and brought it to his nose.
“Ashford, hi,” I said, taking a steadying breath.
“Hi,” he replied, amused. “Did you enjoy the show that bitch put on yesterday for you?” he asked.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what was going to happen,” I told him and noticed a faint bruise across his cheek where Alpha Julian had slapped him.
I swallowed.
“Like you didn’t know what she was up to,” he accused and set the candle he was holding down to turn to me.
“Are you hurt?” I asked and reached out, my hand shaking, to run my thumb soothingly over his cheek.
He gripped my wrist.
“It was only a slap,” he told me, shoving my hand away.
“I don’t like seeing you hurt,” I told him. “It wasn’t right,” I added.
“Are you questioning my father, your Alpha?” he asked.
